She's Country
by Zane's Girl- Jo
Summary: City boy met the country girl... being a chameleon that can adapt to city life easily, Elphaba's able to play both roles- especially when she meets Fiyero... but when she's back on her home turf, w/him in tow, she let's the country girl in her come out.
1. Chapter 1

**She's Country**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Summary: The city boy met the country girl... being a chameleon that can adapt to city life easily, Elphaba finds herself able to play both rolls- especially when she meets Fiyero... but when she's back on her home turf, with him in tow, she let's the country girl in her come out... Modern AU, just wanted to try something new... Jason Alden's song**

_She's all country (shoot)_  
_From her cowboy boots to her down home roots_  
_She's country, from the song she plays to the prayer she prays_  
_That's the way she was born and raised, she ain't afraid to stay country_

_The Emerald City_

The light danced off her black hair, and she turned, soaking in the feel of the other bodies around her in the night club. She swayed gently back and forth, feeling the eyes of the men in the club on her jean-clad thighs. Slowly, she moved her shoulders back and forth, feeling the material of her black halter slide along her skin. She tossed her head, enjoying the music and keeping an eye out for the blonde.

"Elphie!"

She turned, to see a petite blue-eyed blonde in a knee-length skirt and blue tank top make her way towards her. A drink was in her hand, and she waved to her friend, eventually stumbling into the other woman's arms with a giggle. Once she straightened, she tossed her head, meeting her friend's eyes.

"I was wondering where you'd disappeared to." She said, sipping her margarita. The blonde licked her lips, before taking a sip of her own drink.

"I..."

"Did you go outside to smoke again, Glinda?"

"No... maybe..." She rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, Glin. I thought you were going to kick it."

"I was. But I can't seem to."

"Well don't come trying to me when you get lung cancer."

The blonde raised an eyebrow.

"Trying?"

"I meant crying." She replied, gently shoving her friend. The blonde laughed.

"Come on Elphie. You've done enough standing around for a lifetime. It's time to dance."

And she took both drinks and set the empty glasses on the bar. Then, she grabbed her friend's hand and pulled her onto the dance floor. The music pulsed around them, and she found herself drawn to a young man with an easy smile and intense blue eyes. Unable to take her eyes away from him, she danced with him through every song, liking the feel of their bodies together, feeling as though they were meant for each other; two halves finally found, the pieces of the puzzle connected at last, and as she looked into his eyes, she saw felt completion.

Eventually, he leaned close and said,

"I'm Fiyero."

"Nice to meet you, Yero." She said, shaking his hand. "I'm Elphaba."

"Nice to meet you, Elaa."

Several moments of silence passed, before he took her hand and led her from the club. They walked down the street, catching a cab before stopping at a studio apartment complex. By then, their attraction to each other had grown carnal, and they moved up the stairs, never releasing the other's lips. After several moments of fumbling with the lock, they stumbled into the apartment, making it to the bed as they began to strip off their clothing.

Her back hit the soft blankets of the bed, and she stared into his eyes, reading everything in those blue depths before leaning up and catching his lips in hers. Her arms went around his neck, pulling him closer as they became one...

The next morning, she awoke to find him holding out a cup of coffee. They drank the coffee in silence, before she said,

"I had fun." He chuckled softly.

"So did I."

She licked her lips before taking another sip of her coffee, and after a moment's thought, set the cup down and reached for the pad and pen on the nightstand. Then, she quickly wrote down her name and number, and handed the pad to him, before climbing out of bed and pulling on her clothes. Once she was dressed, she went to the door, turning in the doorway to smile coyly at him.

"I had a great night." Then, she glanced at the paper. "Look me up sometime." After several moments, she leaned forward and kissed him full and hard on the mouth, before pulling away, a smile on her face. "See you soon." Then, she turned and left, glancing over her shoulder every so often until she disappeared down the stairs. He watched her, noticing the way she walked; the swager in her hips, the shine of her hair. He remembered tangling his fingers in that mane of black silk more than once the night before.

Once she was gone, he turned to look once again at the paper.

There, in her neat scrawl, was her name and number.

_Elphaba Thropp_

_623- 4109- 8259_


	2. Chapter 2

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: Don't worry, Elphaba will be country...**

**Thanks to lizziemagic for reviewing 1.**

_Elphaba Thropp_

_623- 4109- 8259_

After several moments of silence, he reached for the phone and dialed the number. It had been two days since she'd left, and he couldn't get her out of his head. From her silky raven hair to her piercing dark eyes, she was unlike any other girl he'd ever met, green skin and all. Quickly dialing the number, he sat back and waited as it rang. Finally, after four rings, he heard a breathless,

"Hello?"

His mouth went dry.

Just the mere fact that she was on the other end of the line, caused his mind to go blank and his heart to start roaring in his chest.

"Hello?"

After several minutes, he cleared his throat and said,

"Hi, I was wo... wondering if I could... speak to... to Elphaba?"

"This is she."

"Oh. Um... hi."

"Hi... who is this?"

"It's me. Fiyero."

"Fi..."

"From the Philosophy Club? Here i... in the City?"

Silence reigned on her side for several minutes, before she finally said,

"Oh, right... Fiyero... w... with the sapphires, right?"

"I..."

"Sapphire eyes."

He nodded as she clarified in a breathless voice.

"Yeah. S... sapphire eyes."

She giggled softly, before saying,

"It's good to hear from you again. How have you been?"

"Good. I've... thought about you a lot..."

"Really?"

He nodded again.

"Yeah..."

"I've thought about you too." She said, causing his heart to leap in his throat.

"That's great! I... I mean... no... not _great_... but... great... that's great..."

She laughed, before,

"You aren't much of a conversationalist, are you?"

"No."

Several minutes of silence passed between them, before she said,

"Come visit me."

"What?"

"Come. Visit. Me."

"Oh... okay. Um... wh... where do you..." He started, reaching for a pad and pen. She didn't give him much time, because as soon as he grabbed the pad and pen, she started telling him her address.

"Colwen Grounds, 469 Wiccan Avenue. It's a huge white house, you can't miss it."

"Got it. I'll see you soon."

"Great. I look forward to it. Bye Yero."

"Bye."

Once they'd hung up, he looked back at the address, before getting up and going into the bedroom. He pulled his suitcases out of the closet and laid them on the bed, before packing. With her voice still in his head, he planned how he was going to get to Elphaba's place, quickly running his mind over everything he could remember about Colwen Grounds.

It was in Munchkinland.

He spent the next several hours packing, and booked a flight for Tuesday, giving him a day to get everything in order. He made sure he had everything packed and ready to go, and Tuesday afternoon, when he left the terminal at the Munchkinland Airport, he found himself scanning for Elphaba. Not seeing her, he picked up his things at the baggage claim and headed out of the airport.

The honking of a horn caught his attention.

Slowly, he turned, to see a girl leaning against a dark green pick up, smiling at him. She waved to him, tossing her head.

After a moment, he went to her, and as he got closer, he recognized the girl as Elphaba. Dressed in a pair of worn blue jeans, cowboy boots, a blue plaid shirt and an old cowboy hat, she smiled at him, hands in her pockets. His eyes slowly roved over her body, taking in every detail, before ending on her face. Her smile was white and inviting, and she examined him, before pushing herself away from the truck and going to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. After several moments, she captured his lips in hers, and he drank in her taste, before she pulled away.

"Hey there, stranger."

"Long time no see."

She giggled, wrinkling her nose in the process. They stood next to the truck for several minutes, before she pulled away, grabbed his bags and helped him load them into the back of the truck before taking a seat at the steering wheel.

"Climb in."

He did as told, and once the doors were closed, she pulled out of the parking lot. When they left the airport, she gunned the motor, to his shock and surprise. She didn't say anything, just looked at him and smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: Happy Labor Day Weekend!**

**Thanks to Hedwig466 for reviewing 1 and 2 and to Drama Queen Sunniebunn and lizziemagic for reviewing 2.**

They rode in silence for several minutes, before Elphaba asked,

"So... how was your flight?"

"Um... okay. You... you didn't have to come get me. I could have found you myself."

"I know."

"So... why did you?"

"I wanted to get out of the house." She rolled her eyes. "It's pathetic that I'm twenty-one and still live on my parents' ranch."

"I don't think it's pathetic. It's perfectly natural to stay with your parents after you graduate high school." She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

"What are you, a shrink?"

He wrinkled his nose. "I took a few psych courses in college, but I've got a degree in business."

"Ah, a businessman, huh?" He nodded. She chuckled softly. "Well why's a big shot businessman like you interested in little old me?"

"I like you." She glanced at him as they reached a stop sign.

"Is that all?"

"No. I want to get to know you better, and... I think we could be good together." She nodded, digesting his words.

"I think we could be too."

They lapsed back into silence, before he said, "So... what did you get your degree in?"

"Hmm? Oh, um... photography."

"Really?" She nodded. "I didn't know you were interested in photography."

"I didn't know you were interested in business." She said, grinning. He laughed softly.

"So... where are we going?"

"My parents ranch."

"You... own a ranch?" She glanced at him quickly before passing the car in front of them.

"My parents own the ranch. My father's the Govenor. Colwen Grounds has been in my family- on my mother's side- for years. We raise horses and sheep and sell them; we also race them- well, I do. Nessa's took much of a priss to do anything that means possibly getting dirty, and Shell's too young, but he likes to come along when I go riding. I also wrangle."

"You wrangle?" She nodded.

"Yep. Mustangs."

"Mustangs? Wait, you mean wild mustangs?"

She looked at him. "Of course I mean wild mustangs. What kind of mustangs do you think I meant?"

"Um... uh... never mind."

She laughed; sleigh bells sent chills up his spine, and he blushed at the realization that something as simple as her laugh could produce such an effect in him. When she stopped, she met his eyes, before licking her lips and saying,

"You really are a city boy, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I guess I am. Why?"

"Well," She glanced quickly behind her before turning down a dirt path. "I'm a country girl. Don't you know what they say about city boys and country girls?"

He shook his head.

"No."

She locked eyes with him briefly, before saying, "They mesh well. Well enough for a wedding."

"A... a wedding?"

She rolled her eyes, laughing softly.

"Don't worry, city boy. There are no wedding bells in my future. I'm not the type to settle down. And... something tells me, neither are you."

He didn't say anything.

Finally, they pulled up a winding drive, eventually stopping in front of a huge, white plantation house. A sprawling green yard was in front, and two dogs rushed over the grass towards them as they climbed out of the truck.

"Fabala!"

He looked up, to see a fourteen-year-old boy hurrying towards them; he threw himself into her arms and hugged her close. Fiyero watched silently as she hugged her little brother, and when they pulled away, the boy turned to Fiyero.

"Fabala, who's this?" She glanced at Fiyero, laying a hand on her brother's shoulder.

"This is Fiyero. He's a good friend of mine."

"Someone you met in the City?" She nodded.

"Yep." Then, she smiled at Fiyero. "Fiyero, this is my brother Shell. Shell, this is Fiyero."

The two shook hands, before he and Elphaba grabbed his bags and moved towards the house.

The house was even bigger on the inside than it was on the outside. A huge, spacious living room was off to the right from the front door, a huge tile, granite and Quoxwood kitchen was to the left, connected to a dining room, and a spiral staircase waited for them in the foyer. As she moved to the staircase, she pointed out the various rooms.

"The living room's off to your right. And on the left is the kitchen and dining room, help yourself to whatever you want, well, accept for my dad's prized wine collection. Everything else is for the taking." She laughed softly as they made it to the second floor landing and moved down the hall, finally stopping at a door on the right. "This is your room. There's a bathroom connected, the library is right below this room. Mine is down the hall, third door on the left. Shell's is two doors down on the right, and Nessa's is down this hallway, on the left, at the end of the hallway. If you need anything, let us know." As she turned to follow Shell downstairs, he grabbed her arm.

"Elphaba?"

"Yeah?"

He bit his lip, unsure as to how he should go about phrasing what he was about to ask her. Finally,

"Could you... show me your horses?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

The smile that lit up her face caused just as many chills as her laugh did.

"Sure."

Once he was settled, he followed her down the stairs, through the rest of the house, and into the backyard. It was huge, with a stable and apple orchard several feet away. Horses and sheep were grazing in the corrals and after several minutes, he followed Elphaba towards the horses that were grazing nearby. She stopped at the wooden fence and reached out, nickering softly as a beautiful black stallion made its way towards her.

When the horse got closer, he saw that it had big Moon- sapphire blue- eyes, and a white star marking on its forehead. White stockings were on its feet, and he watched as Elphaba reached up to pat its nose. It nickered and whinied, nudging its muzzle against her cheek before going after her hat. Laughing, she reached up to keep the hat on, and he found himself once again breaking out in chills.

"Wh... what's its name?"

"Thunderstorm. He's a non-fading black."

"Thunderstorm? Why-"

"We found him under a heap of ruined crops a few years ago during a bad thunderstorm. He was just a foal then, his mother had died, so we took him in, and asked around, seeing if anyone had lost a foal, but when no one came to claim him, we kept him. I was nine when we found him, so I got to name him. He's my horse."

He nodded, understanding, slowly running his hand down the horse's flank. His fingers brushed over something carved into the skin, and he leaned close to look. After several minutes, he saw that it wasn't a carving, but a brand.

Two interlocking T's, one's top running through the middle of the other.

"Double T?"

"Double T Ranch. Our own brand." She said, pulling a cube of sugar from her pocket and holding it out for Thunderstorm to lick, as if that explained everything. He waited, and when she didn't continue asked,

"Who started it?"

"My great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather. Back in like... the early eighteen hundreds. I don't know why he chose that brand, but we've always used it. It's our brand, it's been in the family for years-"

"Elphaba," They both turned, to see an older gentleman come up to them. "Who's this?"

"Dad, this is Fiyero. Fiyero, this is... my father, Frexspar Thropp."

"The Govenor, right?" Fiyero asked, shaking the man's hand. He nodded.

"I take it... you're a friend of Elphaba's?"

"Yes. We... we met in the City."

"Really?" He nodded. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Fiyero. I look forward to getting to know you better." Then, he pulled the younger man closer and whispered, "You hurt my little girl and you'll be going back to that big city of yours in multiple gift boxes. Got it?" He nodded, as the older man released him. "Nice to meet you, Fiyero." Then, he turned and left, following his son into the house.

Once the older man was gone, Fiyero looked back at Elphaba, to see her rolling her eyes.

"D... does he always..."

"Threaten?" He nodded. She wrinkled her nose and sighed.

"Yeah, he does. He's... exceedingly protective of Nessa and I. Don't mind him, Yero. He's just messing with you."

He nodded slowly accepting it. After several tense moments, he turned back to the horse.

"So... wh... what brought you to the City in the first place?"

"I needed to get away for a while. Two weeks in the City did me good."

"You don't... seem..."

"Like a City girl?" She finished. He nodded. A soft chuckle escaped her lips. "And you don't seem like a country boy. We all have tricks up our sleeves, Yero." After a few more minutes, she turned to him and said, "Now how about lunch? I don't know about you, but I'm starving."


	5. Chapter 5

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Question: No wedding bells?**

**Answer: Nope**

**Thanks to Hedwig466 and lizziemagic for reviewing 3 and 4.**

He followed Elphaba into the house, stopping in the kitchen doorway. It was huge, spacious, with hardwood floors, Quoxwood cabinets and granite countertops, as well as stainless steel appliances. A Quoxwood and dark granite island sat in the middle of the kitchen, and a young girl was perched on one of the bar stools at the island. Her chestnut hair was pulled back in a thick braid, and she wore a dark blue t-shirt and a pair of shorts. After several minutes, he finally figured out what was on her legs- braces.

"Hey Nessa, how was school?"

"Good. Fenvu Jerton made fun of me again."

Elphaba glanced at Fiyero before she pulled two plates from a cupboard. He joined her, helping with lunch.

"Ness, Fenvu Jerton is a jerk, don't pay any attention to him. He feels better about himself by picking on others."

"I disagree." Both girls looked at Fiyero like he was nuts.

"You disagree?" Elphaba asked. He nodded. "Then why do you think he's picking on Nessa? Oh, by the way, Nessa, this is Fiyero, Fiyero this is my little sister." They nodded to each other, before he said,

"He likes her."

"What?" Elphaba asked, as Nessa wrinkled her nose.

"Well, when I was in high school, if I liked a girl, I picked on her. Guys don't know how to express their feelings to girls, so they pick on them."

"Why?" Nessa asked.

"Because girls mature faster than boys."

"Now _that_ I believe." Elphaba said, taking a bite of her sandwich. After several minutes, she left the kitchen, reaching out to ruffle Nessa's hair, leading him to the living room. Settling on the sofa, they ate in silence, before he asked,

"Has she always worn leg braces?"

"No, not always. Nessa was born prematurely. She wasn't able to walk, and so spent the first ten years of her life in a wheelchair. She had surgery done when she was eleven, and will have to wear the braces for the rest of her life. She's sixteen."

He nodded.

"Well she must be doing all right for sixteen."

"Yeah, Nessa's a fighter."

Both looked up when Shell entered the living room with a popsicle. He took a seat next to his sister, who wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"Mama's back."

"Who?" Fiyero asked.

"Mom. She's back from Gillikin."

"Gillikin?" Elphaba nodded.

"Our aunt Sophelia lives in Gillikin, and Mom spends a couple weeks there every two months or so."

"Oh."

"Glinda's with her." Shell said.

"Who's Glinda?"

"Our cousin." Elphaba said. "She's as blonde as you can get; looks just like our aunt. Bubbly as hell. You'll either like her or think she's completely annoying." Elphaba said, standing and taking the empty plates. He and Shell followed, as the front door opened and Mrs. Thropp entered, with a petite blonde in tow.

"Frex? Nessa? Shell? Fabala? I'm back!" Shell rushed from the kitchen towards his mother, throwing his arms around her waist, as Nessa followed slowly. After several minutes, Elphaba followed, pulling Fiyero behind her. "Hey darlings." After she greeted her youngest, she turned to her oldest, going over and wrapping Elphaba in a hug. "Oh Fabala, how was the City?"

"Good. I had fun. I was a little sad when Glinda left early," She said, glancing over her mother's shoulder at the blonde in the doorway. "But I got over it."

"That's good. Oh, and who's this?" She asked, turning to Fiyero.

"Mom, this is Fiyero. He's a friend of mine from the City. I asked him to spend a few days with me."

"Well it's nice to meet you, Fiyero."

"You too, Mrs. Thropp."

Once they shook hands, Fiyero saw that Mrs. Thropp looked a lot like Elphaba. With the same dark eyes and easy-going smile, she looked exactly like her daughter, except for the black hair and green skin that Elphaba possessed. Mrs. Thropp's hair was thick, dark mahogany, and her skin was the color of fresh poured cream. She was tall and slender, with a patch of freckles of across her nose, much like her daughter had. As for the blonde, she was petite and slightly chubby, with short blonde curls and blue eyes. It was impossible for Fiyero to understand how the two girls could be cousins.

"Fiyero, this is my cousin Glinda."

"Nice to meet you."

Once the introductions were made and Glinda and Mrs. Thropp were settled in, Elphaba headed out to the stable, saddled up Thunderstorm, and was heading out for a ride, when Fiyero stopped her.

"Mind if I join you?"

She looked back at him.

"Sure... do you know how to ride?"

He shook his head.

"I've never ridden a horse before."

"What do you _mean_ you've _never_ ridden a horse before?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: Time to see Fiyero go horseback riding... *evil little smile***

**Thanks to 3dsidewalkchalk, Hedwig466, Drama Queen Sunniebunn and lizziemagic for reviewing 5.**

He shrugged and looked at her.

"I've... never ridden a horse before."

It took several minutes of gathering her thoughts before Elphaba spoke next. When she did, she slipped off her horse, and then went into the stable, beckoning Fiyero to follow. He did, keeping a safe distance, in case she reared back and hit him. But she didn't. Instead, she opened a stable door and came out several minutes later with a beautiful dapple stallion.

"This is Blackjack." She said, introducing Fiyero to the horse.

"Blackjack?" Elphaba shrugged as Fiyero raised his eyebrows.

"Shell got to name him." He nodded, realizing that he wasn't going to get anymore of an explanation from him than those five words. He watched her saddle him, and then jumped slightly when she held out the reigns. "Oz, calm down. I'm not gonna shoot you if that's what you're afraid of. I don't do that to guests. Just guys that piss me off." She said, dropping the reigns in his hand before going back to Thunderstorm; he followed, the horse behind him.

"Right." And he made a mental note not to piss Elphaba off in the next few days. Once they were back in the corral, he watched Elphaba easily mount her horse, before she turned back to him.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Aren't you gonna get on?"

"On what?" Fiyero asked, confused.

"The horse. The saddle." She said, her eyes flicking towards the leather saddle on the horse's back. "It ain't up there just to look pretty."

"Oh, right. Yeah, I... I'd... better do that now, I guess." Fiyero said, turning to the horse.

He hesitated, reaching up to grab the horn of the saddle and the back, and hoisted one leg up into the stirrups, before Blackjack got the idea to skitter, throwing Fiyero to the ground. As the dust settled around him, he heard laughter, and turned to see Elphaba, still perched on Thunderstorm's back, watching him and laughing in delight. Slowly, he got up, and tried again.

He didn't realize that the rest of the household had come out to watch the fun.

"What's he doing, Mama?" Shell asked, leaning against the fence.

"Trying to ride a horse, Shell." Melena replied, shading her eyes.

"He's not trying to ride a horse, he's trying to get into the saddle." Glinda said, tossing her head. "Trying being the operative word." At this, the horse again tossed Fiyero to the ground.

"I don't think it's working." Nessa chimed in, rocking back and forth on her heels, holding tight to the fence. Melena had to stifle a chuckle as the horse again tossed Fiyero and took off running around the corral; Fiyero followed behind, trying to catch up. Elphaba meanwhile, stayed perched on Thunderstorm, obviously enjoying the entertainment she was getting from her guest.

"What I'd like to know," Frex started, taking his hat off and brushing his black hair out of his face- so like his daughter's- before putting it back on, "was where she dug this one up."

"Fiyero?" Melena asked. Frex nodded. "I think she said the City."

"Well whereever he came from," Frex said, taking a sip of his water. "he certainly doesn't know a think about horses."

"I don't like him." Nessa said.

"You don't even know him!" Glinda replied, glancing at the younger girl.

"Neither do you."

"Yeah, but I like him. He's nice. And he's good for Elphie. She needs someone like him. The last guy she dated was a jackass. A real son of a bitch-"

"How do you know? You only met him once."

"Yeah, and did you see the huge bruise on her neck?"

"It was a hickey."

"_No it wasn't_. He was beating on her. She was lucky to get out alive."

"Yeah, well Daddy took care of that." Nessa replied, looking over her nails.

"How do we know Fiyero isn't going to beat on Fabala?" Shell asked, breaking into the girls' conversation.

"We don't." Glinda replied, watching her cousin.

"Trust me, girls. He lays a hand on my baby girl, he won't be wrangling- anything."

"Frex!"

"She's my daughter, Melena!"

"Just because she's your daughter, does not mean that that gives you the right to _castrate every guy she brings home_!"

"Tersan deserved it-"

"You're lucky you didn't do time!"

"He was abusing my little girl, I had to protect her!"

"What's castrating?" Both turned to Shell.

"Um..."

"It's..."

Suddenly, laughter interrupted the tense conversation, and they all turned to see Elphaba climbing down from Thunderstorm's back and going to Fiyero, who was sprawled on his back in the dirt.

"Here." She reached out, offering her hand, which he gladly took. As he stood, he slipped on the reigns trailing the ground from Blackjack's mouth, and ended up on the ground again, with Elphaba on top of him. She stared into his eyes for several minutes, as silence passed between them.

Near the fence, Frex was just about ready to enter the corral and rip Fiyero to shreds, when Melena grabbed his arm. After several moments, Elphaba climbed to her feet, knelt down and scooped up the reigns and then pulled Fiyero to his feet. Then, she handed him the reigns.

"Rule number one." She started, locking eyes with him. "Never lose control of the reigns."


	7. Chapter 7

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to lizziemagic and Beautifully Tragic Girl for reviewing 6.**

He nodded, taking the reigns. She smiled at him, before leaning close.

"I'd watch your back."

"Why?" She glanced towards her parents, and he followed, quickly turning back to her.

"My dad's not too impressed with you." He nodded, understanding. She smiled at him again, before holding the horse steady. "Come on, up."

"Now?"

"Yes, now. You've got support, you can get on. I won't let Blackjack run out from under you." He waited, watching the horse, before mounting the horse. Once he was situated, Elphaba moved away and mounted Thunderstorm, before going to him. "Ready to go for a ride?" He nodded, watching her easily urge her horse out of the corral. After several minutes, he followed, glancing back at the others. Once they were a good deal away from the ranch, Elphaba urged Thunderstorm faster, stopping every so often to allow Fiyero to catch up. They rode in silence for a while, before Blackjack took off running, speeding past Elphaba and Thunderstorm and going further into the meadow. "Fiyero! Fi- damn it, Yero! Pull the reigns!"

After several moments, she urged Thunderstorm on, catching up with him. "Damn it, Yero!"

Eventually, Blackjack tossed Fiyero, throwing him into a puddle. Quickly, Elphaba hurried to him, pulling Thunderstorm to a stop and climbing down before rushing to Fiyero's side.

"You okay, Yero?" She asked, kneeling next to him. He shook his head, tossing his hair out of his eyes before looking at her.

"Yeah... I'm... fine. Just..."

"Stunned?" He nodded, sitting up. "I'm not surprised, considering you were thrown off your horse and into a puddle." She said, reaching out to brush his hair off his forehead. He met her eyes, finding himself entranced by her dark eyes.

"I... I'll be fine." He whispered. She smiled at him.

"Good."

Then, she leaned close and kissed him.

Their lips locked in a firm kiss, and slowly, she nudged his lips open, before slipping her tongue inside. The kiss deepened, and soon, Fiyero found himself losing his balance, falling back into the puddle, with her on top of him. She grasped fistfuls of his shirt, moving closer, before he flipped them over, so that she was laying on her back in the mud. They broke apart, looked into each others' eyes, and then returned to the kiss. Seconds passed, before she caused them to again switch places; she then straddled him, never breaking the kiss.

When she did break it, she stared down into his eyes, realizing the spark that flashed within his eyes was also in hers. She licked her lips gently, before leaning down and kissing him again, as his fingers tangled in her curtain of raven. Neither realized that they were being watched.

"What are you doing?"

They broke apart and turned to see Shell and Glinda dismounting their horses and making their way towards them. Quickly, Elphaba got up, and helped Fiyero to his feet.

"I... I fell..."

"And what? Her lips broke your fall?" Glinda accused, as a blush crept up Fiyero's cheeks.

"No. Blackjack threw him into a puddle and I got down to help." Elphaba said, jumping to Fiyero's rescue.

"And that was why you were straddling him and eating face? You were 'helping' him?" Glinda asked. Elphaba narrowed her eyes.

"Shut up, Glinda." The blonde rolled her eyes, and then returned to her horse, mounting it before turning it to head back to the ranch.

"I'm just saying. What's Uncle Frex going to think when he sees you both covered in mud?" Then, she left, Shell following close behind. Several moments passed, before they mounted their horses and followed.

"I take it Glinda doesn't like me."

"She doesn't trust men." Elphaba said, as they rode side by side. Instead of pressing further, he asked,

"How is she related to you?"

"She is my first cousin. Our mothers are sisters. She grew up in Gillikin, in the small town of Pertha Hills. She's a town girl and I'm a country girl. We're best friends. We're like sisters."

He nodded in understanding. They rode in silence again, before she reached out and took his hand. He met her eyes and she smiled at him.

When they returned to the stable and put the horses away, she took his hand and led him to the back door. They slipped inside, checking to make sure her parents were occupied, before she pulled him upstairs and to his room. Once the door was closed behind them, she went to the bathroom and pulled out a couple towels from the cupboard.

"Here's the towels. There's soap and shampoo on the sink. If you need anything, let me know."

"Thanks."

She nodded.

"Welcome."

He watched her slip out of the room, before going to the bathroom and starting the shower. As he washed, he let his mind wander back to Elphaba.

She was... unpredictable. Exciting, wild.

Different.

She certainly wasn't like other girls.

When he stepped out of the shower and slipped into the bedroom, he sighed, realizing that he'd be sore the next day because of horseback riding. It definately wasn't his thing. Once he dressed, he slipped into the hall and headed to the stairs, not realizing where he was going, until he slammed into someone.

"Slow down. You're acting like the house is on fire."

Elphaba.

A blush crept into his cheeks.

"Sorry. I didn't see you."

She shrugged. "It's all right." Then, as she headed downstairs, she turned back. "We've got to do that more often."

As she left, he found himself thinking, did she mean the horseback riding?

Or the kissing?


	8. Chapter 8

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Question: Does Glinda not trust guys because of the last boyfriend Elphaba had, or does she have a personal experience?**

**Answer: You'll find out**

**Thanks to Drama Queen Sunniebunn for reviewing 6 and 7 and Beautifully Tragic Girl and lizziemagic for reviewing 7.**

Shaking his head, he followed her down the stairs, and into the kitchen, only to find Mrs. Thropp at the island, fixing a cup of tea.

"How was your horseback ride, Fiyero?" She asked, looking up at her oldest daughter's guest. He fidgited slightly, before clearing his throat and responding.

"G... good, Mrs. Thropp. Thanks for asking." Mrs. Thropp nodded, turning when Elphaba moved behind her towards the teapot.

"So, Fabala, how was your time in the City?"

"It was okay, Mama. Why?"

Her mother shrugged. "Just curious. It's been so long since I've been in the City that I've forgotten what it's like there."

"You've... never been to the City, Mrs. Thropp?" Fiyero asked. Mrs. Thropp looked up, meeting his eyes.

"I've been to the City. I grew up in the City. Well, in the City and in the country."

"Grandma left when Mama was eight." Elphaba added, handing him a cup of hot tea. He thanked her with a quick smile.

"Took me with her. When the divorce was finalized, I was shuffled back and forth between my mom and dad. I'd spend summers in the City with my mom and winters with my dad... I went to junior high here, and to high school in the City... went to college there, met Frex in a History lecture one afternoon, married him our junior year, and moved back here when we graduated. Had Fabala nine months later." She said, turning to her daughter and rubbing her back. Then, she kissed the girl's forehead and excused herself, going into the living room. Once she was gone, Fiyero turned back to Elphaba and said,

"So you were a surprise-" She nodded.

"Yeah. Glinda and I both were-"

"What do you mean 'and Glinda?' What's Glinda got to do with this?" Fiyero asked, sitting next to her on the stool at the island. Elphaba sighed and tossed her hair over her shoulder.

"Glinda and I are two months and fifty-five days apart. I was born on Kumbrica's Eve, ninteen-eighty-nine, and she was born on Lurlinemas Eve, ninteen-eighty-nine."

"So you're really close." She nodded.

"Both born on holidays. It's a running joke in our family that I'm a reincarnation of the Kumbric Witch because I was born on her day."

"And let me guess, Glinda is a reincarnation of Lurline because her birthday is on her name day, right?" Elphaba nodded, sipping her tea.

"Yep."

They sat in silence for several minutes, before she asked,

"So... when were you born?"

He swallowed his tea before speaking. "November first, nineteen-eighty-nine." Her eyebrows raised, and she smiled at him.

"Really?" He nodded.

"Huh... small world." When they finished their tea, she asked, "So... any idea what you want to do now?" He shook his head.

"Not really. What do you do for fun around here?" She looked up at him, a small smile on her face.

"Well, we go hunting... and bar hopping... but... my favorite thing to do is go dancing."

"You dance?" She nodded. "Here?"

"Well not _here_... down at the Barn Raising."

"The Barn Raising?" She nodded. "Like an _actual_ barn raising-" A laugh escaped her throat, and he stared at her, confused.

"It's a not an _actual barn raising_. It's a dance hall."

"Oh." A smile graced her features, and then she grabbed his hand, dragging him into the living room. She grabbed her jacket from inside the hall closet, picked up her keys, and as she made her way to the door, called out to her parents,

"I'll be back later! I'm taking Fiyero to the Barn Raising!"

"Wait a minute, you're going out? Now? With _him_?" They turned, to see Frex hurry into the hall, Melena and the rest of the family behind him.

"Yeah. I'm taking Fiyero to the Barn Raising. They're having a dance there tonight. I'm gonna show him our dance club. We won't be gone long." Then, she turned, grabbed Fiyero's hand and pulled him out the door. Just as Frex spoke up to protest, Melena laid her hand on his arm.

"Let her go, Frex."

Once they were in the truck and driving off the ranch, Fiyero looked back at Colwen Grounds, before turning to Elphaba.

"Your dad didn't seem to happy that we're going out."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Dad's overprotective of me. He still thinks I'm a little girl in need of monitoring. I'm twenty-one for Oz's sake. I'm not a child anymore."

"Does he... know about your trip to the City?" Fiyero asked, watching her. She glanced quickly at him before turning her attention back to the road.

"He knows I _went _to the City, but he doesn't know what I did while I was there. He doesn't know about us. As far as he knows, we met at a coffeeshop after seeing _Wizomania_." A laugh escaped her, and he couldn't help chuckling. "He doesn't know that we met at a dance club. Or that we... slept together. As far as my dad knows, I'm still a virgin." She said virgin bitterly, as though losing her virginity was the biggest mistake of her life, and something she didn't want to remember or even acknowledge.

Fiyero decided that maybe it was better if he didn't say anything.

They drove in silence, before eventually pulling into a parking lot in front of an old storefront. Climbing out of the truck, Elphaba led him into the building, her bitterness forgotten.

"Welcome to the Barn Raising, Yero."


	9. Chapter 9

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Question: Does Elphaba really regret her city time with Fiyero?**

**Answer: I'm not saying**

**Question: bad first time?**

**Answer: Like I said, I'm not saying**

**Thanks to Drama Queen Sunniebunn, lizziemagic and Beautifully Tragic Girl for reviewing 8.**

White Lurlinemas lights were wrapped around the posts placed at various places in the room to hold the roof up. The rafters overhead created a checkerboard pattern, and the dance hall was filled with people talking and laughing, dancing and drinking. A small bar was set up in a back corner, and every so often, someone would order a drink. As he followed Elphaba into the hall, he noticed several people stop and whisper, throwing curious glances towards him. Eventually, a voice caused him to turn his attention back to Elphaba.

_"Elphie? Elphie Thropp?" _

He looked up, to see a girl with short red hair cut in a stylish bob stop in front of Elphaba.

"Milla! It's good to see you again!" The two girls embraced, and she asked, "How was your trip? How's Tila?"

"She's good. Had a baby girl."

"She did? Oh I bet she's beautiful!"

"She is. Candle." Fiyero saw a photograph being held up and he subtly leaned close to get a look. "The Glikkus was same as it usually is. Rainy and cold. I missed the sun. Anyway, what about you? Last I heard, you were in the City. What were you doing there?"

"Just needed to get away for a while... and I... met a guy."

"You did? Who?"

It was then that Elphaba glanced back at him. "Milla, meet Fiyero. Fiyero, this is Milla Detv. She's one of my best friends. Milla, this is Fiyero Tiggular."

"Nice to meet you, Fiyero." Milla said, shaking his hand.

"You too." He glanced at Elphaba, wondering if she caught sight of the look Milla had cast. But before he got a chance to ask, Milla leaned towards Elphaba and said,

"Where did you get him, and where can I get one?"

Elphaba giggled softly before saying, "The City." With a quick glance at Fiyero, she added, "The Wilted Rose." After several more minutes of conversation, Milla excused herself, waved goodbye to Fiyero, and returned to the dance floor. Once they were settled at the bar with their drinks, he said,

"I take it you know her." He said, glancing at Milla. Elphaba sipped her drink and nodded.

"Milla and I went to school together. We've been neighbors for years, grew up together. She's one of my best friends. Got a degree in medicine, works here at the hospital. Sweetest girl you'll ever meet, and certainly the most fun to be around." He nodded, watching the redhead. Several minutes passed before Elphaba's voice broke through his thoughts. "Wanna dance?"

"Dance?" She nodded. "I don't-"

"You dance in the City. What, you can't dance in the country?" He bit his lip, before setting his empty glass next to hers and following her onto the dance floor. A country tune started up, and they began a swing dance- a dance Fiyero only vaguely knew. It took a few minutes, but eventually, he picked it up, and found himself enjoying being on the dance floor with Elphaba. However, when they started doing the line dancing, he slipped off the dance floor, and preferred to watch Elphaba and the others. She moved with such ease, like dancing was her whole life; she seemed so relaxed on the dance floor. When the dance finished, Elphaba hurried over to him. "Come on, Yero-"

He protested, but she won out, and soon, he found himself with his arms around her waist, and her arms around his neck, as they swayed gently back and forth to the slow melody of a song playing over the speakers. He glanced quickly around the place, before turning back to her.

"So, having fun?" She asked, staring into his eyes.

"Yeah, I am." They lapsed into silence before she said,

"Good, I'm glad... how did you like Milla?" He thought carefully before he spoke, not wanting to make her mad.

"She's nice. Seems a little high-strung-"

"That's normal for Milla. I'd be worried if she _wasn't_ hi-strung."

"So I take it-"

"She's always been that way." He nodded.

"It was nice to meet her. She seems sweet."

"She is. And she's a very loyal friend. One of my best."

They continued their conversation before returning to the bar. An hour or so passed, before they left.

"Elphaba?"

She looked at him as she closed her door. "Yeah?"

"Thanks. I had fun."

A smile appeared, and she sighed. "Good. I'm glad." Then, she started the truck and they left, driving home in silence. Once they got back, they climbed out of the truck, and hurried to the back door. There was some trouble unlocking the back door because Elphaba couldn't fit the key into the hole, but finally, they slipped into the house and upstairs- all the while running into various furniture. Once upstairs, they said their goodnights and went to their seperate rooms.

Once he'd closed his bedroom door, he changed into his pajamas and let the memory of Elphaba's body against his on the dance floor come flooding back. Much like the night they'd met, there'd been an instant attraction, and he found himself wanting to make out with her in the bed of the truck more than once that night. As he climbed into bed, he shook the thoughts from his head, reminding himself that if Frex found out, he'd most likely be on the next plane back to the City, in a box. Better to keep away from Elphaba while he was here, than risk her father's wrath.

But her father's wrath was the furthest thing from his mind when his eyes snapped open an hour later, and he found Elphaba in bed with him.


	10. Chapter 10

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to Beautifully Tragic Girl, LittleGreenGirlxx and Drama Queen Sunniebunn for reviewing 9.**

It took him several minutes to figure out what was going on, but once the realization that Elphaba was in his arms hit, he struggled to break the kiss, despite his desire to hold on. Eventually, he did break it, and pulled away to look at her.

"Elphaba? What are you- what about your dad?"

"He's asleep. Besides, I'm an adult, I can do what I want..." She straightened, leaning close and grasping the front of his shirt. "And I want you..." Her words disolved into the kiss they shared, and he allowed himself to sink into it for several brief moments before reason once again won out and he pulled away again.

"But your dad-"

"What my dad doesn't know, won't hurt him." She replied. "Now kiss me." He let her, allowing her to take charge and deepen the kiss.

Slowly, her hands slid under his shirt and splayed against his chest, and she moved closer, pressing her body against his. Soon, however, she removed her hands and began unbuttoning his shirt, before finally tossing it to the floor. Then, her hands moved to his pajama bottoms, and soon, he found them on the floor as well. Only in his boxers, he leaned towards her, as she moved back, pulling away briefly and meeting his eyes before she reached down and tugged her tank top over her head and tossing it to the floor.

He leaned down, gently running his tongue over the soft mounds of her breasts. Shivers raced up her spine as his tongue moved along her cleavage, and she leaned down to capture his lips in hers. The passion they'd felt that night in the City came rushing back, and quickly Elphaba removed her pajama bottoms before she returned to straddling him. Their kiss deepened and soon their underwear joined the other articles of clothing on the floor.

They soon switched places; his hands moved down her body, trailing over her ribs and across her hip bones as he gently pushed her towards the pillows. She reached up, tangling her fingers in his hair and tugging gently, pulling him back to her. As their kiss deepened once again, he found himself listening for noise at the closed bedroom door. His mind got the better of him, and he pulled away, startling Elphaba, who didn't hesitate to complain.

"Yero!"

"I thought I heard the door-" She rolled her eyes as she sat up, glancing at the door before turning back to him.

"Yero, I locked the door. Even if he was out there, he wouldn't be able to get in."

He wasn't convinced. Glancing back at her, he got up and went to the door, listening at the wood. She sighed and followed, tugging his attention away from the door and back to her.

"Why would you want to spend all night at the door listening for my dad when you could be in bed with me?" She asked seductively, capturing his lips again and pulling him towards her. Her slender arms went around his neck and she jumped into his arms, pressing her body against his as they slammed back against the door. He saw stars as his head hit the wood hard, but once they disappeared, he was able to gather his wits about him and pull away to look at her. After searching the depths of her eyes, he let his features relax into a smile. "What?"

_I love you._

"... Nothing."

After several minutes, he set her back on her feet and walked her back towards the bed. They lay on the bed kissing and touching, their bodies pressing together until they didn't know where one started and the other ended. Eventually, her breathless whisper reached his ears,

"Yero... I need you..."

In a matter of minutes, they were giving into their passion, allowing their bodies to take control and their minds to let go. They throbbed with desire as their lips crashed against each other and their bodies melted into one. Their soft whispers soon turned to moans and cries of passion as they joined together, in only the way true lovers can. Nails dug into skin, lips sucked and teeth nibbled gently as they rolled in the blankets, tangling in the covers until they were unable to seperate. Her screams of escasty were sure to have woken the entire household, but if they had, neither noticed, too focused on each other and the shared pleasure were they.

"Fae... Oh Oz, Fae..."

She pulled away to stare into his eyes.

"What did you call me? Fae?" He nodded, meeting her gaze. An excited smile spread over her face, like a child getting a toy. "I like it." He returned her smile, before capturing her lips again. They rolled, loosening the tangled sheets and switching places. She straddled him, watching his face for any sign of annoyance- like she'd seen in other guys she'd been with- and saw none of it. Slowly, she reached up to gather her mane of raven and hold it against her head, before letting it fall in a curtain of black silk as she leaned down, laying against his chest. "You make me feel like a woman, Yero." Then, she kissed him, her hands trailing down his arms and over his wrists, until their fingers laced.

Their bodies pressed into the mattress beneath them, as only the moon noticed the beauty of their contrasting skin tones. She arched her back, pulling away to smile playfully at him, and allowing him to take control and switch positions. A giggle escaped her lips and she wrinkled her nose as she looked up at him. He watched her face, curiousity reflected in his eyes.

"What?"

_I love you._

"... Nothing."


	11. Chapter 11

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: Did you hear? _In the Heights _is going to close in 2011! :(**

**Question: who was thinking I love you during the chapter?**

**Answer: Both Fiyero and Elphaba were thinking I love you. That's what they really wanted to tell each other, but instead they told each other, "Nothing."**

**Thanks to lizziemagic for reviewing 9 and 10, Beautifully Tragic Girl, Empress Moonchild of Fantasia, and Drama Queen Sunniebunn for reviewing 10.**

When Fiyero awoke the next morning, he found Elphaba gone.

After he got up and got dressed, he slowly made his way downstairs, to find the rest of the family up, dressed and in the kitchen, fixing breakfast, minus Nessa and Frex.

"Morning, Fiyero." He jumped, and turned to stare into Elphaba's dark eyes.

"Oh... um... uh... morning."

"You okay?" He nodded.

"Yeah, I just... woke up this morning and... it took me a while to remember that I..."

"Forgot where you are?" He nodded.

"Yeah." Mrs. Thropp chuckled softly as she placed the toast on a plate.

"That's normal whenever you're staying somewhere that you're not familiar with." Fiyero gave Elphaba's mother a tight smile and accepted the coffee Elphaba handed him. It was then that Nessa entered still in her purple pajamas. The girl's hair was parted in two braids and she hugged an old, worn teddy bear. The girl shuffled in on tired feet, not bothering to stifle a yawn. When she plopped down on the bar stool and yawned again, Fiyero saw that the girl wore braces with bright purple rubber bands.

"Morning Nessa, how did you sleep?"

The girl looked up to meet her mother's eyes.

"Okay, I guess. Screaming woke me up."

"Screaming?" Melena raised an eyebrow, as her daughter nodded.

"Yeah, like insane screaming..." She accepted the cup of coffee her sister offered her, and took a sip. "almost like... sex screaming."

Both Fiyero and Elphaba stopped sipping their coffee, and slowly turned to look at each other. Melena raised her eyebrows at her youngest daughter; no one saw the looks shared by Elphaba and her guest.

"Sex screaming?" Nessa nodded. "Nessa, sweetheart, I think you were imagining it." Her mother said finally, as she buttered a slice of toast and took a bite. Nessa shook her head.

"I wasn't imagining it. I heard screaming. Like... wild, insane sex screaming."

"Maybe you were the one screaming." Shell said, butting into the conversation.

"Why would I have sex with myself? That's not even possible." Nessa replied, looking at her brother.

"Yes it is."

"How would you know?"

"Because I... never mind." Shell trailed off, turning back to his toast, as Elphaba snorted into her coffee.

"Too much information, Shell. That is way more than I need to know about my little brother." Elphaba said when she'd calmed down. After several minutes, Fiyero asked,

"Where's Mr. Thropp?"

"He had an early meeting. Left around seven."

"Oh." When breakfast finished, Elphaba took Fiyero out to the yard, and they walked along the property, until she decided to take him back into the woods around their property. "Where... exactly are we going?" He asked, as he followed Elphaba.

"You'll see." She replied, looking back at him. They walked for at least twenty minutes before finally coming to a small cottage. "Well?" She looked back at him, waiting for his reaction.

"What is this?" She glanced back at the cottage before turning to him.

"It's... my playhouse."

"Your playhouse?" She nodded.

"Well, not my _playhouse_... when I was a kid, I came across this and asked my parents if I could have it and use it as a playhouse. This is before Nessie and Shell came along... they said I could, and... now, whenever I... whenever I get upset or overwhelmed, I come here." She turned back to him. "Want to see inside?"

"Sure."

She removed a red ribbon from her pocket, and slipped the key hanging from it into the lock, before opening it. Once inside, Fiyero saw that the cottage was just big enough for two- it had a small bedroom and bathroom off to the back, a kitchen, living room and dining room. It was furnished in beautiful old antique furniture, and he noted the childish playthings laying about- the color crayons littering the floor, the paper dolls on the table. But the thing that caught his eye was the worn, old stuffed mouse laying forgotten on the rocking chair. After a moment, he went to the chair and picked it up, brushing the dust off the soft material and examining it.

"Mom gave that to me when I had my tonsils taken out. I was... six, I think."

"You had your tonsils taken out that young?" He asked, turning back to her. She nodded.

"They were causing me problems and so they just decided that it'd be better to take them out rather than wait." She joined him, taking the mouse gently from his grasp. "I called him Mr. Mouse."

"Mr. Mouse?" She nodded.

"Yep. Mr. Mousie." A soft chuckle escaped her throat, and she took a seat on the sofa after several moments. He joined her, after setting the mouse gently on the table.

"Why... did you decide to show me this?" He asked after several moments of silence. His eyes searched her face, but she wasn't giving anything away. Sighing, she said,

"Because... because I've connected with you more than any other guy I've ever known."


	12. Chapter 12

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to Beautifully Tragic Girl and lizziemagic for reviewing 11.**

The shock must have been clear on his face, because her face fell and slowly, she pulled away, getting up and going to the window. He shook his head after several moments, faintly hearing her voice.

"I... I'm sorry... what?"

"You... you didn't say anything... I... I guess that's a bad sign..."

It took him a couple minutes, but finally he stood, going to her, and turning her around to face him.

"It's not that. It... I just... I'm surprised you... you're showing me this. I'm touched, I really am... I just... If this is about the sex..."

"It's not about the sex!" She cried, pulling away from him. "It's never been about the sex... I... I like you, Yero. I _really_ like you. You're different than any guy I've ever been with..."

"You don't know that. We've only known each other... a couple weeks... maybe three... four... what if we're not what the other expects?" He asked, moving close and taking her hands.

"I don't care. I... I l..."

"Fabala! Fabala!"

Both turned towards the door, and after several moments, Elphaba pulled away and went to the door. She pulled it open, and poked her head out, before returning.

"Come on, we'd better get back. Nessa's calling for us."

"Is that a bad thing?" He asked, as they left the house. She glanced at him.

"Usually, it means that Nessa wants to talk to me about something. Usually something boy related." Once the house was locked, they hurried through the woods, back towards the ranch. As they made it to the corral, Fiyero saw two girls- Glinda and Nessa, standing at the fence, petting the horses. When Nessa looked up and caught sight of Elphaba, she pulled away and hurried to her sister.

"Fabala-"

"What's wrong, Nessie?"

The younger girl bit her lip, before saying,

"F... Fenvu... he... he called this morning and... asked me out."

It was several minutes, but eventually, Fiyero saw the small smile spreading over her face.

"That's great, Nessa. See, I guess Fiyero was right."

Nessa glanced at Fiyero, blushing.

"So what are you going to wear?"

"I don't know... will you help me, Fabala?"

"Get ready?" The girl nodded.

"Why don't you ask Glinda, Ness. I'm not exactly one for fashion. I clash with everything, or did you forget?"

The younger girl glanced back at the blonde, before returning her gaze to her older sister. "I want you to help me. We're gonna go to a movie tonight. Will you help me get ready, Fabala, please?" After several minutes of begging, Elphaba finally agreed. "Thanks, Fabala!" The girl hugged her, before hurrying back to the house. As they made their way to the corral, Glinda pulled away from the horses and took Elphaba's arm.

"Elphie, could I talk to you for a minute?" The older girl glanced at Fiyero, nodding for him to go get something to drink and that she'd only be a minute, before following her cousin to the wooden swing in the garden.

"What is it, Glin?" Once the girls were in the garden, Elphaba took a seat on the old wooden swing, as her cousin leaned against the old cherry tree. Silence passed between them for several minutes, before Glinda said,

"Elphie... have you and Fiyero... s... slept... together..."

Elphaba raised a dark eyebrow. "Why would you ask that, Glinda?"

The blonde shrugged. "I... I just... you spent an awful... lot of time in the City... and... you didn't get back to the hotel that night... I... just... curious..."

Elphaba nodded, and silence hung thick in the air, before she spoke.

"If you must know... yes... I have slept with Fiyero. I... slept with him that night we went dancing."

"Did you sleep with him last night?" Her cousin was so blunt, so straight-forward with the question that it startled her. At first, all she could do, was nod.

"Y... yes. I slept with him last night. Why? What's it to you?" Then, she got up, making her way out of the garden, when Glinda grabbed her arm and turned her around.

"I'm concerned."

"About what?"

"About you."

_"You have nothing to be concerned about! I'm fine, Glinda!"_

_"Yeah right, you're fine! I know you, Elphie! You're my best friend! You bury things and develop self-destructive habits when you get upset or pinned in! Remember the _last time _you got involved with a guy? You were in the hospital, you nearly landed in a satin-lined coffin because of that son of a bitch!"_

_"Fiyero isn't like that! He's _nothing_ like Tersan!"_

_"How do you know? You _don't know that_! You've only known the guy two weeks at most! How do you know Fiyero's not going to start beating on you like Tersan did?"_

_"Because he's not like that! Fiyero wouldn't hurt a fly, let alone a human being!" _She tried to pull away when Glinda pulled her closer and pulled up her sleeve.

_"What about this, Elphie? Tersan said the same thing before he started beating you! He acted the _same way _Fiyero acts, before he started slashing you! He acted the same way Fiyero acts- all lovesick and gentle with you, just like Tersan did! Remember Tersan? Remember what he did to you? Oz, Elphie, how could you forget? I wouldn't be able to forget, especially if I lost-" _She stopped, at the pain reflected in her cousin's eyes and on her face.

"Gl-"

"Oz, Elphie, I... I'm sorry... I... I didn't mean..."

But the older girl wrenched away from her, pulled down her sleeve, and hurried from the garden.


End file.
